Reverse logistics process
View Patent ↗A reverse logistics process or business method that optimizes the return of goods such as the return of goods under warranty claims or where the good is damaged, the wrong size, not the good the customer expected, etc. The system design accounts for the return of goods to one or a few sources after delivery to a significant number of customers.
1. A reverse logistics process comprising:
inputting information into a website on a good that a customer desires to return wherein the step of inputting information on the good includes inputting at least one of the following: description of the good, name of the good, model number of the good, serial number of the good, color of the good, size of the good, good order date, order number associated with original shipment of good, good delivery date, customer name, and customer code;
verifying the returnability of the good by comparing the information inputted by the customer on the website against a provider database and parameters for returning the good wherein the parameters for returning the good further comprise verifying the good is a seller good, verifying the good is eligible for warranty, verifying the good is approved for return and/or any combination thereof;
optimizing the timing and shipping method for the returning of the good based upon shipping parameters in the provider database wherein the shipping parameters further comprise return delivery speed for perishable items, packing requirements for fragile goods, size and weight parameters, shipment size, requirements of truck, carrier capabilities and/or any combination thereof;
determining a carrier;
queuing the shipment wherein the queuing wherein the queuing step further comprises placing the shipment in a standard canier's queue such that the carrier will pick up the return shipment either on its usual rounds or on a pre-requested bases and verifying the shipment meets standard return shipment parameters between the particular customer and the seller;
creating shipping instructions and documents;
making a shipping request to the carrier; and
returning the shipment wherein the carrier picks up the good and follows the sellers instructions for handling the good.
2. The reverse logistics process of claim 1 wherein the step of verifying the returnability of the good includes receiving approval or denial to return the good includes receiving approval or denial to return the good after comparing the inputted information to the provider database information including at least one of the following: all good types, model numbers, serial numbers, customer shipped to, dates of customer shipments, goods shipped to customer, and quantities shipped to customer.
3. The reverse logistics process of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the most efficient timing and shipping method includes receiving critical characteristics on the good from the provider database.
4. The reverse logistics process of claim 3 wherein the step of receiving critical characteristics on the good from the provider database involves receiving shipping parameters from the provider database.
5. The reverse logistics process of claim 4 wherein the shipping parameters include one or more of the following:
return delivery speed for perishable items, packing requirements for fragile goods, and size and weight parameters which are used to assist in optimization of shipment size, and requirements of truck.
6. The reverse logistics process of claim 4 wherein the shipping parameters include one or more of the following:
return delivery speed for perishable items, packing requirements for fragile goods, and size and weight parameters which are used to assist in optimization of choice of carrier, truck size, and requirements of truck based upon the various shipping rates available to the seller for different shipment sizes, timing, and other requirements.